Oil and condensed-steam separator.



Patented June' 27, |899.

A. ANDREWS.

OIL AND CONDENSED STEAM SEPARATUH.

(Application med Nov, 29, 189s.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES v PATENT ?OEEICE.

AMos ANDREWS, on PLAINEIELD, NEW JERSEY.

ou. AND CoNuENsED-STEAM SEPARATOR'.

sPEc'IEIcATIoN' forming part of' Lttereratent No. 627,793, dated Junta?,189e.

Application led November 29, 1898. Serial No. 697373Z. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMos ANDREWS, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new sion, or even both, thus leading tothe formation of scale and the like in the boilers. Condensing the steamand using the Water as feed-Water does not wholly avoid thedifficulties, since cylinder-oil is carried over by the steam and is fedto the boiler with the water, thus leading to the formation of scale inthe boiler or causing the same to be burned through oil getting on thefire-sheets. Moreover, more or less fresh feed-Water has to beintroduced to supply the losses due to leakage and blowing off throughthe safety and other valves, thus compounding the scale. These are allknown difficulties,vand many efforts have'been made to overcome them.

One object of the present invention is, in a condensing-engine plant, tosecure purity of the condensed steam or Water before itis returned tothe boiler, thus minimizing the formation of boiler-scale, increasingthe life of the boiler, and reducing the amount of fresh Water used.Another object is to reclaim the cylinder-oils for reuse, and otherobjects, as a reduction of the amount or quality of fuel used, as willhereinafter more fully appear.

To these ends the invention includes the method and the apparatushereinafter more fully described, and more particularly pointed out inthe claims concluding this specification.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated'in the accompanyingsheet of drawings,

forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammaticplan showing an arrangement of apparatus suitable for carrying out theinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of part of theappa-- ratus shownin plan in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view of anotherpart of said apparatus. Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of anoilcatching tank or barrel, also shown in plan in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is aside view, partly in section, of an oil-separator, also shown inhorizontal section in Fig. 1.

The same part will be found designated by the same numeral or othercharacter of reference in the various views of the drawings.

As the invention may be best understood if described in conjunction withan apparatus for carrying it into effect, I will proceed to thedescription of an apparatus suited to the purposes in View.

The steam from the engine is taken to and condensed in a suitable formof condenser, preferably a surface condenser 2. From thence the water isdrawn by avacuurn-pump 3, through a pipe 4:, and is delivered through apipe, as 5, into a tank or vessel having vertically-disposed baftlersarranged to direct the fluid up and down alternately. The vessel forthis purpose, which is shown in the drawings, comprises four cylindricalopen- `topped tanks 6 78 9, of which each of the last three is providedwith a partition 10, reaching from the bottom to a point aboutthree-fourths the Way to the top of the tank,the tank 6 being withoutsuch partition or baffler, and the tanks 6 7 S 9 being connected in thatorder by means of short pipes 11 near their bottoms and being arrangedon a common level, thus forming a single vessel in so far as thisinvention is concerned. The Water iiows from tank 6 into tank 7 and upover the partition 10 in tank 7 and through a pipe 11 into the tank 8and up over partition 10 in tank 8 and likewise into tank 9 and over itspartition 10. The sides of tanks 6 7 8 9, where they are connected bypipes 11, maybe called bafflers arranged to direct the Water downwardly,While walls 10 are bafiiers arranged to direct the Water upwardly.l Theupward motion of the oily water facilitates the separation of the oiland the Water. The oil-floats, While the water Hows on through thepipes. A pipe 12 leads from near the bottom of tank 9 to near the top ofa long tank 13 on the saine level as tanks 6 to 9, preferably. The tank13 is provided with a cross-partition 14, preferably a little higherthan the normal level of water in the tank, and `also open at thebottom. The top of partition 14: is provided with a trough 15, extendinginto that part of the tank 13 farthest from the inlet from pipe 12.Pipes 16 connect tank 13 IOO with another tank 17, which I will call acondenser-tank for convenience and for a reason presently to appear.These pipes 16 may siphon the water over from tank 13 to tank 17. Afeed-pump 18'draws the water from condenser-tank 17 through a pipe 19and delivers the water through another pipe 2O into a coil of pipe 21 ina shell 22, whence the water is forced into a pipe 23 bent upwardly andterminating with an open end well up and inside a closed oil-separator24. From the bottom of separator 24 a pipe 25 connects witha boiler.(Not shown.) Preferably the separator is covered with asbestos or othernon-conductor. Y

The foregoing apparatus constitutes a means whereby the condensed steamis returned to the boilers and whereby oil contained in the water may beseparated from the same. Means for collecting the oil will now bedescribed.

Alongside the tanks 6 7 S 9 is a trough 26,v

and each tank is provided with a revoluble elbow-pipe 27, which can beturned, so as to have its end up above the water-level in the tanks andalso can be turned to have the end below such level, (or suitable cocksmay replace the elbows.) The function of the elbows is when turned downover trough 26 to draw off the oil that floats on the top of the waterin the tanks. The separation of the oil and water in tanks 6, 7, 8, and9 is greatly facilitated by the agitation due to the inflow and theup-and-down course of the water through the tanks. The oil drawn offfrom the tanks contains solne water and the whole flows from trough 26by a pipe 28 into a barrel or tank 29 on alower level. When a sufticientamount of the oil and water has accumulated in tank 29, the water isdrawn off by means of an elbow (revoluble) 30 and afterward the oil maybe drawn off through a cock 31.

I prefer to introduce eXtra feed-water into the part B of tank 13 orthrough a pipe 32, whence the cold water flows gently under thepartition 14 into the part A. As the eXtra water warms up it rises andmingles with the water coming in through the pipe 12. An oily residuecollects from the water in tank 13 and flows through trough 15 and outthrough the Waste-pipe 33 to a sewer or other like discharge.

The drip-pipes of a steam-heating system for a building in which thesteam plant may he situated may be run through a tank, as 17, in orderto condense the steam and to heat up the feed-Water. I show such pipes34 as passing through tank 17 and extending to tank 6, where theydischarge.

The oil-separator 24 is preferably formed in two parts 24 and 24D, whichare in communication with each other, as b y a narrow orifice or a smallpipe 35 and the part 24b being vertically over part 24a and each beingclosed except for the described piping and the pipe 36, extending fromthe top of part 24b to near the Hoor-line or bottom of part 24. The

heavy oils, commonly called bulls liver oil, are carried over, at leastin large part, to the separator 24. The heating received in tank 17 orin shell 22 (through which one or more auxiliaries may exhaust to thecondenser 2) leads to a separation of these heavy oils from the water inseparator 24, the temperature being about 200o Fahrenheit or over, andthe oils rise through pipe 35 into the part 24h, whence they are drawnoff through the pipe 36, and are thus prevented from passing to theboiler. It is these heavy oils that lead to the formation of much of theobjectionable scale in the boilers, at least where the water is hard,and I find thatthe separation of the oil from the water in the mannerhereinbfore described leads to a large decrease in the amount of scaleformed in the boilers, even when the extra feed water is very hard. Muchof the oil recovered is of a light flaky character and on standing in awarm place for several hours is converted into good oil, which afterstraining is ready for use.`

By the use of my invention a relatively pure feed-water is obtainedwithout the use of filters, preparations for use in the boiler toprevent scale or incrustations, or the like. Incidentally a largepercentage of the cylinder-oil is recovered for use, mostly in the tanks6, 7, 8, and 9. Another result is that the small amount of scale(relatively speaking) that does form in the boiler is more easy ofremoval than that formed when my invention is not used.

I do not limit myself to the precise form of myinvention shown in thedrawings and hereinbefore described, since the invention may be embodiedin many other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is- 1. In a condensing-engine plant, the colnbination of avacuum-pump, a vessel having vertically-disposed baiiiers arranged toalter nately direct the course of the fluid up and down and connected atone end with said pump, means for drawing off iiuid from near the top ofsaid vessel, and a feed-pump connected with said vessel, with avertically-arranged oil-separator comprising two communicating chambersone over the other, substantially as described.

2. Ina condensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, avessel having vertically-disposed baiiiers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the fluid up and down and connected at one end withsaid pump, means for drawing off fluid from near the top of said vessel,a tank connected with said vessel, a residue-outlet from said tankarranged to take uid from near the top thereof, and a feed-pumpconnected with said tank independently of said residue-outlet, sub`stantially as described.

3. In a condensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, avessel having vertically-disposed bafflers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the fluid up and IOO IIC

down and connected at one end with said pump, means for drawing oftfluid from near the top of said vessel, a tank connected with saidvessel, a residue-outlet from said tank arranged to take fluid from nearthe top thereof, and a feed-pump connected with said tank, with anoil-separator intermediate the feedpump and the boiler, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a condensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, avessel having vertically-disposed bafflers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the fluid up and down and connected at one end withsaid pump, means for drawing off fluid from near the top of saidvessel,a tank connected with said vessel, a residue-outlet from saidtank arranged to take fluid from near the top thereof, and a feed-pumpconnected with said tank, with an oil-separator intermediate thefeedpump and the boiler, substantially as described. n 5. In acondensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, a vesselhaving vertically-disposed bafliersarran ged to alternately direct thecourse of the fluid up and down and connected at one end with said pump,means fordrawing off liuid from near the top of said vessel, a tankconnected with said vessel, a residue-outlet from said tank arranged totake fluid from near the top thereof, and a feed-pump connectedwith saidtank, with a heater and an oil-separator intermediate the feed-pump andthe boiler, substantially as described. v

6. In a condensing-engine' plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, a.vessel having vertically-disposed baftlers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the fluid up and down and connected at one end withsaid pump, means for drawing off fluid from near the top of said vessel,a tank connected with said vessel, a residue-outlet from said tankarranged to take liuid from near the top thereof, and a feed-pumpconnected with said tank, with a heater, and an oil-separator comprisingtwo communicating chambers one over the other, said heater and separatorbeing intermediate the feed-pump and the boiler, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a condensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, avessel having vertically-disposed baiilers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the fluid up and down and connected at one end withsaid pump, means for drawing off uid from near the top of said vessel, atank connected with said vessel, a residue-outlet from said tankarranged to take fluid from near the top thereof, with a heater and anoil-separator intermediate the feed-pump and the boiler, substantiallyas described.

8. In a condensing-engine plant, the combination of a vacuum-pump, avessel having vertically-disposed bafliers arranged to alternatelydirect the course of the liuid up and down and connected at one end withsaid pump, means for drawing olf fluid from near the top of said vessel,a tank connected with saidvessel, a residue-outlet from said tankarranged to take fluid from near the top thereof, with a heater, and anoil-separator comprising two communicating chambers one over the other,said heater and separator being intermediate the feed-pump and theboiler, substantially as described.

9. The method, substantially as hereinbefore described, of separatingoil from water,

which consists in causing oily water to low \up and down, whereby oilseparates and collects from the fluid where it changes its course fromilp to down, drawing 0E and heating the residuum or the water and theoil remaining therein, then causing the heated fluid to flow upwardly,and drawing oft the Water at a point below the top part of thebody,wherebyheavier oils are separated from the water and collected.

10. In a condensing-engine plant, t e combination of means forseparating the ighte'r oils from the condensed steam, a feed-pump, aheater, and a separator for the heavy oils said separator comprising twovessels placedy 'one over the other or one higher than the other and incommunication with each other by a relatively small opening or conduit.

11. In an oil-separator, the combination of two vessels placed onehigher than the other, an upwardly-extending inlet-pipe within the lowervessel and terminating above the middle part thereof, a discharge nearthe lower side or bottom of said lower vessel, and a constricted openingbetween the top of the lower vessel and the upper vessel.

12. In an oil-separator, the combination of two closed vessels placedone higher than the other, an inlet-pipe terminating within the lowervessel above the middle part thereof and discharging upwardly, adischarge at or near the bottom of said lower vessel, a constrictedopening between the top part of the lower vessel and the lower part ofthe upper vessel, and a discharge-pipe connecting with the upper vesselnear or at the upper part or top thereof. c .Y

13. In a condensing-engine plant, the combination with two closedvesselsplaced one higher than the other, an upwardly-discharginginlet-pipe terminating within the lower vessel above the middle portionthereof, a discharge-pipe connected with the lower vessel below saidinlet-pipe end, a constricted opening between the top part of the lowervessel and the lower part of the upper vessel, and a discharge connectedwith the lower vessel below said inlet, of a heater with which theinlet-pipe is connected, and a feed-pump.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 25th day of November, A. D. 1898.

- AMOS ANDREWS. c Witnesses:

OHAs. A. BRODEN,

RICHARD W. BARKLEY.

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